Alien Problems
by Ny'Kle
Summary: Sent on a mission by the High Council, Ryau, Naki, and D'rok find old friends, lose new friends, and uncover a secret, 850,000 years in the making. Please R&R! I will be re writting this story. I've completely redone chapter 3, and posted chapter 4. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Sorry but still working on story.

I do not own Halo.

H3PD owns Ryau and Naki.

SGTLEGENKILLER owns D'rok.

This is my first story with characters that are not mine, so please no flames.

This is just a reminder for me, to keep me from forgetting, so here's something for y'all.

This is likely to change.

"Shipmaster, Covenant forces detected on the planet's surface, engaged in ground activities."

The Shipmaster turned to the Human AI.

"Construct, what kind of activities?"

"Unknown… wait, picking up a transmission, audio only."

The Shipmaster turned from the AI to the central holographic display.

*Static* *Static**Explosion* *Bullet Crack*"…ot Cove…*Explosion*Static*"…over ru…*static*

"Picking up new transmission, visual," the AI said.

The holopic of the Shipmasters cruiser disappeared, and replaced with a Humans HUD.

The Shipmasters mandibles twisted into a frown as the static filled scene erupted into fountains of dirt as explosions detonated all around.

Streaks of flame crisscrossed the frame.

Then the Shipmaster saw something he'd only heard about, never seen.

A group of three of the Humans demons- no, _Spartans_ stepped into frame.

One with a Human heavy support gun. Another with a rocket launcher. And another with a Human Heavy energy weapon.

The Shipmaster was about to order the warriors to mobilize, when a shadow covered the Spartans, and one of those streaks of flame stuck the rocket carrying one in the chest, lifting, and throwing the Spartan out of frame.

Thus hastened, the Shipmaster barked out orders.

"Construct, muster the warriors, all weapon online."

He turned to a systems operator.

"Ready the Phantoms; I want the Spec Ops teams in the first deployment."

"Yes Shipmaster," chorused the answers.

Please R&R


	2. Chapter 2

The Shipmaster was about to order the warriors to mobilize, when a shadow covered the Spartans, and one of those streaks of flame stuck the rocket carrying one in the chest, lifting, and throwing the Spartan out of frame.

Thus hastened, the Shipmaster barked out orders.

"Construct, muster the warriors, all weapon online."

He turned to a systems operator.

"Ready the Phantoms; I want the Spec Ops teams in the first deployment."

"Yes Shipmaster," the answers chorused.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ryau and Naki headed for their assigned Phantom.

D'rok combat briefed them on the way.

Some kind of Human distress. Non-Covenant enemy, and that there are Spartans down there.

At the word 'spartan', everyone put more speed and spring into their step.

* * *

"I'm ready man" A Human said, Hudson, Ryau thought his name was.

Hudson strutted himself in the aisle, jerking on his combat armor.

"Check it out, I am the ultimate bad ass!" The Human dropship jerked, causing Hudson to stumble, catching himself on a headrail, not missing a beat.

"State of the bad ass art."

He gave his armor one final jerk, and finished.

"You do not wanna mess with me."

He meandered his way to Naki, the person the Soldiers had been brought in to protect.

"Check it out." He said, getting Naki, Ryau, and his fellow soldiers attentions.

He got in between Naki and Ryau, getting all up and close.

"Hey Naki, don't worry." He said, starting to pull away, gesturing as he spoke.

"Me and my squad of ultimate bad asses will protect you."

A few of his fellow soldiers called out, cheering him on.

He steadied himself on the ceiling as the ship rocked and jerked.

"We got tactical smart missiles, Coil-assisted assault rifles, RPGs."Hudsons voice rose with each word, and even when a burst of air jerked the ship, causing Hudson to steady himself again, he never lost a beat, voice rising still.

He started jerking and flailing, touching and bopping various panels on the ceiling; all the while :

"We got sonic-electronic ball breakers!" Several troops let out woops as Hudsons 'motivational speech' reached its climax.

Hudsons eyes were wide with excitement and being pumped up, as he again focused on Naki.

"We got nukes. We got knifes, sharp sticks-"

He was cut off by his Sergeant. "Knock it off Hudson!"

Their Sergeant, a black-skinned Human by the name of Apone, strongly reminded both Ryau and Naki of Sgt Johnson.

"Somebody wake up-"

* * *

""Ryau? Ryau? Are you alright?"

Ryau snaped upright.

Ryau, you just blanked out for a moment." Naki said, concerned.

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"About the first time we went out with Bravo team." Ryau answered.

Naki paused in thought and shuttered.

"That was a bad mission, "Naki said.

Ryau thought on that.

Naki had been taken by aliens, and set up as a Host.

Ryau and the remainder of the team had flown in, blasted some aliens, rescued Naki just in time, met some giant super bug, shot up the place, and flew out of there as the nuke went off.

"Well," Ryau started, "this mission can not be as bad as that one."

Little did they, or anyone know, he was right. It wasn't going to be as bad. It was to be worse.

**Please R&R**


	3. Chapter 3

There was some kind of city down below. Not Forerunner, not human, and not Covenant.

D'rok and Ryau's Spec Ops team was escorted by Banshees and Condors.

Condors, a new vehicle that the UNSC had passed to the Spec Ops Cruiser for field testing, reminded D'rok, of a Soviet era 'Hind' helicopter. The Condors were-to D'rok at least- exact copies of the large helicopter, but with scaled up versions of the Falcons tilt rotors, and the Condor had these mounted in the fashion of the old American Ospreys.

"Humans on the ground, this is alpha team, what is your position?"

"_Elites, What is it that you want?"_

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and the Phantom beside theirs exploded.

The Condor escort called out the position of the shot, and three Condors laid down fire, 50 cal, cannon, and rockets.

No more rockets came up.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Ryau and Naki turned to each other.

"What is that?" they asked each other and the same time.

They were interrupted by D'rok's laughter.

"What is it?" Ryau asked, looking at hum funny.

"That", D'rok said between laughs, ignoring the stares from the other squad members," is the _'Spirit of Fire_'"

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"_Spirit of Fire'_, is there a Sergeant Forge there?"

There was a pause.

"Yes"

"This is the leader of Alpha team; I wish to speak to him."

There was another pause.

*static* "Forge here. What do you want Elite?"

"Forge, it is D'rok."

"Who?"*static*

Remember the two Elites on the Hercules? The old car?"

Silence.

"You?!"

"Aye"

*static* "Alright. I'm at the ship, I'll arrangement for you to come to me, Forge out."

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

D'rok, Ryau, and Naki stood nervously as the Marines and ODSTs pointed assault rifles and shotguns at them.

"Guys, stand down, they're with me." A battered but strong looking Human sergeant called out.

"Damn Forge, you look like hammered shit." D'rok said stepping forward to shake his hand.

Sgt Forge hesitated, then grinned and shook the Elites hand.

"Yeah, war will do that to yah." Forge looked over at Ryau and Naki, still slightly frightened at all of the aliens pointing guns at them.

"And who are these?"

D'rok stepped back and nodded to each in turn.

"Special Operations Major Ryau, and Special Operations Science Major Naki."

Forge nodded to each in turn.

"So what is all this Elites a Humans work'n together?"

"The war's over Forge."

An eerie silence covered the crash site compound. All of the Humans gathered and crowded in around them.

"What?"

"The war ended in 2553, 16 years ago. Our Arbiter"-Forge stiffened-"I meant our champion, and the Spartan, the Master Chief, fought side by side, and killed the Covenant leaders. It's over."

Forge and the other Humans were silent for several moments as they took in the fact that the war that had lasted generations, was over.

Then Forge broke into a grin.

"About damn time. So now what?"

"You encountered Covenant?" D'rok questioned.

Forges happy mood vanished.

Yeah."

Where are they now?"

Over in that direction." Forge gestured.

"We over heard that some of your troops encountered some non Covenant? The Spartans were with them?"

"Yeah we never got a really good look at'm. They have some kind of weapon. Like an automatic Gauss cannon or something." Forge warned.

"Thank you for the advice." D'rok said, turning around to leave.

"Hey, you're not going in there alone, are you?" Forge asked incredibly.

"We got three teams of Spec Ops" D'rok began" we can move silently and quickly."

"I lost 8 teams of marines and ODSTs, 4 Gauss Hogs and 2 tanks to those unknowns, not to mention the Spartans. Forge said sternly. "I can't let you go in alone."

"I appreciate the concern sergeant. " D'rok answered, admiring Forges want to help, but still thinking that it would be better for the Humans to remain here at the _Spirit of Fire_ crash site.

"Tell me what you're planning, and I'll help."

"Ok. We're here to find an ancient Forerunner Technology. Those unknowns maybe related. We'll link up with the Covies, and roll on the data. Any help you can give will be much appreciated."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Forge said, turning away.

"_Spirit of fire_, this is Forge."

"Go ahead."

"Friendly contact with Elites made. They're going after some Forerunner tech. They help from both us and the Covies. What can we make that they can have?"

"Standby… tell them to wait half an hour. Over."

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Anders and Naki had gotten along fine. Ryau and Forge alike were amazed at how the two scientists had taken one look at each other and had gotten on to comparing notes.

Forge spent part of the time questioning Bravo team, the only Humans not from the _Spirit of Fire_.

D'rok talked with Cutter, on arranging how the Elite Cruiser was going to transport the Humans and Covies off the planet.

Finally, Forge came back with news that the _Spirit of Fire_ had enough vehicles and supplies to field a support company for a ground operation.

"Ok, D'rok?" said Elite focused on him.

"The Captain has given us tanks, Hogs, and some anti-air vehicles. Our plan is to follow behind you as you go to the Covie ship, so that if you run into trouble, we'll be right there." Forge said, looking from face to face, making sure everyone knew and understood what was going to happen.

"However, we don't have any air cover." He said, face growing slightly grim.

"Our aircraft were thrown loose when we crashed, as was our ability to manufacture more."

Ryau and Naki made unpleasant faces, both remembering the awesomeness of the _Spirit of Fire_'s aircraft, particularly the Falcons.

Their discontent was interrupted by D'rok clearing his throat. Everyone right there looked up at him.

"Actually Forge, I got that covered." He said, smirking in a good naturedly way.

"I'll bring the rain, and you bring the grinding treads."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0


	4. Chapter 4

"Ultra, we've reached your designated insertion point."

"Very good pilot, thank you." D'rok said.

The Phantoms doors swung open.

"Lets go Alpha team!" D'rok yelled out. Ryau, Naki, Yame, and K'an yelled their agreement.

"Go, go, go!"

Out they went. Yame, the RoS Army Major Domo first, followed by K'an, Ryau, and finally Naki.

D'rok hesitated. He turned to lieutenant apone of bravo team.

D'rok extended a hand.

"If this be the hour, that we last draw blades together…"D'rok began.

"… then lets take some out with us and kick some-" Apone was interrupted by the pilot screaming "Incoming!"

"Go!"D'rok yelled. Apone patted D'rok on the shoulder as he moved to the Phantoms' open door.

"Go Marines! Move'em out!"

Hicks, Drake, Hudson, and Vasqus all moved to the door at once.

They all leaped out the door at once.

Apone and D'rok were about to exit the phantom when the phantom bucked and jerked out from beneath their feet.

The walls, ceiling, and deck cracked and broke apart beneath them in a blinding flash of purple and blue and pink light as whatever had destroyed the crafts engines and ignited the fuel source.

They both tried to be the hero, trying to shove the other out the disintegrating hatch.

D'rok grabbed onto one of the larger pieces of phantom debris forming all around them with one hand, and grabbed Apone with the other, just as the Phantom exploded in a fireball of purple and pink light.

O0o0o0o0POV Change0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ryau and Naki looked up as a streak of flame crossed their combined fields of sight and smashed into the Phantom.

The phantom seemed to hang there in the air as it broke apart, then exploded and crashed into the roof of one of the surrounding buildings.

The rest of Bravo team rose to their feet and comprehended what had just happened.

"Sarge!" Hudson yells out.

"Sarge, how copy?!" Hicks called out on the radio.

Ryau heard a sound of clicking, similar to the sound of creeping Xenos, coming from behind them.

He turned his head, and saw a large, upright, shadowy shape moving against a back wall.

"Ambush!" he yelled.

He turned on the balls of his hooves, bringing up his Plasma Carbine, and ripped off 5 shots of plasma incased bullets at the figure…

O0o0o0o0oPOV Change to Forge, same time O0o0o0o0o

"Sergeant Forge, the Elite spec Ops teams are under attack by the unknown hostiles, can you assist?"

"Forge to Spirit of Fire, no can do. We're pushing the tanks to the max already. To get there any faster, we'd have to leave them behind."

"Sergeant, if we can't save them, then we lose our only way off this planet. Double time it NOW Sergeant!"

Forge sighed.

"Yes sir! Forge out."

O0o0o0o POV Change back to Ryau same time o0o0o0o0o0o

Ryau and Naki pulled back, and backed themselves into a corner of a ruined building. These things were huge! Each one was a tall as a Warthog was long, and had skin that changed color to blend in almost perfectly with the background.

Ryau hadn't gotten a good look at one, the size and color the only things registering in his mind as Alpha and Bravo teams scattered.

The wall in front on them seemed to move.

Ryau and Naki both fired at it, though Ryau was a hair quicker.

The blue plasma from both of their guns splashed on its skin, highlighting a moving smug against the wall.

The laid on the fire, Ryau with his Plasma Carbine, and Naki with her dual Plasma Rifles.

The dark smug staggered in the face of the number of plasma bolts striking its unprotected skin.

It held some sort of object at them.

Ryau stopped firing and tackled Naki to the side.

At that moment, a roar filled the ruined space as dozens of flaming streaks flew past Ryau's back, and exploded against the back wall.

Then a muffled Bang sounded in the distance. The thing hesitated.

Then…

Boom!

The whole corner of the ruined building exploded against their backs, knocking the thing, Ryau, and Naki to the ground.

As Ryau stared in a daze at the thing rising to its feet, a Elite sized figure stood up in the opening made by the explosion. As the thing got to it's feet, a burst of heavy plasma gunned it down.

The Elite figure stepped in, features becoming defined.

The words formed in Ryau's mind but his mouth would not work.

'Zeik".

Ultra Domo Zeik led Ryau and Naki out of the ruined building.

The area was filled with bullet holes and plasma scoring.

A platoon of Covenant had the area locked down. Bravo team was still alive, and unsubdued, but not exactly free.

"Zeik these humans are with us." Naki said.

Zeik wheeled on Naki suddenly, angrily.

"So you are with those heretic scums…? He said in a controlled rage.

"No Zeik," Naki started soothingly calm. "The war ended 16 cycles ago." At this, Zeik stiffened.

"The Prophets betrayed the Sangheili- they set the Brutes on us." Naki started speaking quickly, to keep Zeik from acting.

The Arbiter joined the Humans to preserve our race." Now at this, Zeik started to reach for his modified plasma Rifle. Ryau shifted his grip on his Plasma Carbine, to have it pointed in Zeik's direction but not at him.

"Zeik, wait." Naki said loudly, holding her hands up in a 'wait' gesture. Hicks and Vascquas noticed this and shifted their weapons in his general direction.

"Zeik," Naki said softly. "You can go back." Zeik's grip on his rifle lessened. "The Arbiter has reformed the Covenant." Zeiks hand dropped from his gun.

"What?"

"The Arbiter has remade the Covenant. It is led by the Sangheili High Council. The Prophets and Brutes loyal to us remain. There is talk of asking the Humans to join the Covenant. If you all go back, you will be welcomed."

Zeik looked down in thought. Then looked up at Naki and Ryau, face shining.

"You have a ship? We can get off this rock?"

"We got a ship, but we're helping the Humans. These Humans have been out of touch with the war for over 35 cycles. We can help you and the humans, but we need to work together to secure a landing zone for our ship." Ryau said.

"Oh no… Naki! Forge! He'll be coming for bear!"

"Alpha teams to Forge, come in Forge."

Before Ryau could wait for an answer, a large object, the size of an Plasma Battery, flew across the open, ruined area.

BOOM!

O0o0o Quick POV Change to Forge o0o0o

Boom!

A blinding light filled the area ahead of Forges support column. Then the sounds of automatic gunfire.

"Warthogs ahead!"

_**(Anyone catch the part from COD:WaW?)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**I do not own Halo or any other that may appear.**_

_**Ryau Cinotee and Naki Cimutee belong to H3PD. D'rok Tahallan and K'an belong to SGTLEGENDKILLER.**_

_**Halo belongs to 343i**_

_**I do own the particular versions of the "things" that appear in this story. **_

BOOM!

O0o0o Quick POV Change to Forge o0o0o

Boom!

A blinding light filled the area ahead of Forges support column. Then the sounds of automatic gunfire.

"Warthogs ahead!"

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

A harsh, blinding light engulfed everyone's vision, along with a infernal ringing, as the Fusion Coil sized advanced flashbang assaulted their systems.

They lost all sense of balance and fell to their knees.

The Humans recovered first, Hicks and Hudson rolling into a corner of a nearly flattened building.

Vasquez and Drake regained their feet, and readied their M247 HMGs.

"Lets Rock!"

Twin streams of flames and lead covered the area.

The Spec Ops and Ex-Covenant rolled into cover as their sight and hearing returned.

The very walls seemed to move. The things, as tall as a Warthog was long, seemed to appear out of thin air.

Explosions and the sounds of guns, plasma, bullet, and whatever the things used filled the open area.

Ryau crawled into a better position, and peeked out above the waist high wall he currently occupied.

Vasquez and Drake had moved to a partially ruined building, and were taking turns stepping out to fire.

The Hunters had recovered and were taking their shots at the things.

The things, which Ryau could now see, had placed themselves in the center of the open area, and where back to back, silvery weapons pointed out, shooting at anyone who dared peek out.

Ryau saw one of the Covenant peek out to fire, and step out just a little too far.

The Sangheili fired its Plasma Rifle to little effect, and before the Soldier could step back into cover, one of the things turned to him, fired a burst from its weapon, and the Elite's left shoulder and leg disappeared in a explosion of flame and purple.

Now Ryau stood up, Plasma Carbine already shouldered.

He came up, rifle already pointed at it, and snapped off 5 shots as fast as his finger could pull, then fell to the ground.

Already, the thing's shots were after him, cutting it so close, that before he hit the ground, a shot had passed close enough to his head that it wiped out his shields.

As he tucked his legs in beneath him and prepared to rise to a crouch, he looked up and saw one of the Covenant Elites.

Ryau waited until most of the things paused from firing-for what reason Ryau had no idea- before tossing a rock in the Elites direction to get its attention.

The Elite, a minor by its blue armor, looked up as a rock clattered into its hidey hole.

He looked at the direction, and saw Ryau waving.

The Minor jerked its head up in questioning.

Ryau pulled out two grenade, one plasma and the other a napalm grenade. Crouching as he was, he mimed tossing one over his wall, at the bunched together things.

The Minor nodded in understanding and produced a plasma grenade of his own.

Ryua ducked lower as a thing send a few shots his way.

Ryau held up a hand, his two fingers held up._ Two seconds_.

The Elite nodded again.

As he reached zero in his head, Ryau jumped up, piming the grenades, and threw them both over-handedly and the still bunched together things.

He didn't wait to see if the other Elite had thrown his yet, or even to see if the grenades were flying in the right direction before again throwing himself down.

There was the classic double beep of the plasma grenade sticking to a living thing, followed instantly as the flame grenade bursting open and busting into flames.

The plasma went through its rising squeal, then the electrical explosion.

The things shooting stopped, and there was a moment of silence.

Ryau dared to peek his head up again, hoping the things weren't just waiting for whoever had thrown the grenades to peek up.

Ryau peeked anyway.

None of them were dead, but they weren't standing either.

He grabed up his Carbine from where he'd put it to toss the grenades.

Several of the other soldiers had looked out to see what had happened, and had left cover to advance on the downed things.

Not all of them, but a good 8 or so had broke cover, and Ryau could see at least 5 more covering them.

They were interrupted by the sounds of vehicale engines. Many engines.

Ryau cast a glance to see, and saw Forge's lead Warthogs closing in fast.

Multipule gunshots erupted from behind him. He twisted around to see the things scrambling to their feet and trying to flee the scene.

Ryau brought the Plasma carbine's crosshairs on his HUD onto the nearest thing and started punching out shots, one right after another, until the last one disappeared from sight.

Ryau looked around. He picked out what was left of the Spec Ops platoon, as well as Bravo team.

It took him a few more uneasy moments to pick out Naki among the soldiers. She was covered in dirt and in sangheilian blood. For a moment he thought it was her's, but quickly squashed the thought, as shewas moving too freely, not like her was injured.

He looked back to the approaching Hogs. Rya could see the rest of the group not far behind, tanks and stuff.

"Ok, COMs check," Ryau called out on the radio. "Call out if your injured or not."

Naki and Yame checked in from Alpha team; ok. Charlie and Delta teams had lost most of their personel. Ryau looked around in small shock,as he realized that he was in command. None of the other Spec Ops team leaders had survived the short but brutal firefught.

Ryau looked up again as Forge pulled up at the front of the Warthogs.

Naki, Yame, and the other hightest ranking members of the surviving teams closed in around him.

Forge dis-mounted the Gauss Hog.

"You guys all right?" Sergeant Forge asked.

"Affirmative Sergeant,"Ryau replyed."Squad leaders are down, as is a lot of the Covenant patrol we ran into, before we made contact with the unknowns."

"Er, what happened to D'rok and the Lieutenant?" Forge asked heisitantly, looking at all that remained of the once large Spec Ops platoon.

Ryau replied by pointing to the top of a ruined building, covered in flaming plasma fuel and Phantom wreckage.

Forge grimaced, and turned back to the Ex-Covenant and Humans, both eyeing each other nervously.

"Who's in charge her-"

"That would be me." Ultra Domo Zeik declared, marching up to Forge.

Zeik crossed his arms, eyeing Forge in contempt.

Ryau watched as Zeik and Forge stared off, Sangheili against Human.

"Hey,easy people." Ryau said, distracting them from each other.

"We need to work together if we are going to survive to get off this planet. Lets just get to the Covenant ship, check it out, round up supplys, and find a way for the Cruiser to get us out of here. Okay? Can we work tougher for at least that long?" Ryau said, looking back and forth between the tow groups, trying to get the point across.

Forge was nodding in agreement, and Zeik, as well. They'd work together.

O0o0o0oPOV change to Capt Cutter at Spirit of Fireo0o0o0o0o

Captain Cutter looked out across the wrecked bridge. The ceiling had buckled inwards, screens and consoles were shattered and in pieces, and the main window was now cracked.

But, the tactical holotable and short-range communications still worked.

"Spirit of Fire to Sergeant Forge, what's the situation there at the Covenant Camp?"

Cutter waited for the reply.

It came back several moments later.

"_Forge to Spirit, the Covie shipis a no go, too damaged. The aliens have worked up a plan. The elites' cruiser up in orbit is going to make a run and evac wounded and injured, and take'm to a safe place, then return and pick us up."_

Cutter frowned, thought for a moment, and tapped the send button.

"Explain"

"_The elite's ship, something called the Majestic Menace, will off load its troops and vechicles here, and take on those injured and wounded. It'll then make a jump to the nearest planet with hospitals and stuff, then it'll high tail it back here to pick us up. All of us."_

Cutter pondered for a moment.

"Okay Sergeant. Lets make it happen."

O0o0o0o0oPOV Change to Ryau and Naki, inroute back to the Spirit of Fire via Puma0o0o0o

Ryau looked up from his brooding.

He, Naki, Yame, and the closest thing the Covenant Carrier had to an Executive Officer (Second in Command, or just 2iC for short) were riding in the back of a Puma transport.

(The Puma is the replacement for the Warthog, with six wheels, room for 3 shooters, plus the driver, and plus a twin mini-gun turret gunner)

Things just didn't make up in his mind. The Covenant carrier had slipspace jumped away from a battle with humans, and had ended up here. Then, as the Carrier passed the planet, _something_ had put a shot clean through the ship. The shot came from nowhere, punched straight through the Carriers shields, and through the ship itself.

The Carrier then had crashed, and that was about a month ago.

The Spirit of Fire, had come cruising by, trying to make it back home, when the ship's sensors detected the Covenant Carrier's warning beacon, and had started to wake up the crew from Cryosleep.

Then, when the ship was just passing by the planet, and was starting to do scans of the planets surface to look for the signs of Covenant, when, a _something_ appeared on the ships sensors. The ship had gone to full battlestations. And because of that, the ship was somewhat ready when the something fired its shot.

That one shot had ripped away a good portion on the ships lower decks away completely.

The Spirit of Fire and the unknown thing had engaged in maneuvers. The Spirit of Fire was completely out matched.

The thing fired small shots at it, which the Spirit of Fire's flank plating held out. Then the thing had put a main gunshot straight through the Spirit of Fire's engines, just barely missing the fusion reactor by a few decks.

The Spirit had lost its engines, and had made a barely controlled landing on the planets surface. That was a week and a half ago.

And then, when the Spec Ops Cruiser arrived in system, they found…. Nothing. No ship, nothing of the sort.

What was bugging Ryau, was that they had found no ship. The Cruisers' sensors had picked up the Covenant Carrier and the Spirit of Fire all the way from the edge of the solar system-which was very big- and the same sensors hadn't found any trace of any ship.

Heput the matter aside and focused on what was happening here and now.

He glanced up at Naki. She seemed upset. Even though they'd managed to get most of the blood off her armor, her dark green Varo class armor was stained almost to a black.

"Hey, you okay Naki?" he asked, concerned.

"He's gone. D'rok."She snapped her fingers."Just like that. Just one more great friend to the long list of those lost." Shestoppped herself, eyes widening.

"What are we going to tell M'riana?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey, you okay Naki?" he asked, concerned.

"He's gone. D'rok."She snapped her fingers."Just like that. Just one more great friend to the long list of those lost." She stopped herself, eyes widening.

"What are we going to tell M'riana?"

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So this is absolutely everything we could salvage from the Covenant Carrier's Hangars?"

"Affirmative," Zeik answered the human Shipmaster.

They had many support weapons, light vehicles, and the such, but had nowhere near enough personnel to operate it all. They'd lost many of their large vehicles when they were shot down from orbit by a single shot, destroying most of their Wraiths and their only 2 Scarabs.

They, Covenant and Human alike, would have to hold out alone on the planet's surface while the Sangheili Cruiser made its run to take those wounded to safety, before returning for them.

If the Enemy, as the things had been termed, made a push against them, they would had a rough time of holding them off for the 16 days it would take for the Cruiser to return.

The human Shipmaster, an old human by the looks of his graying and whitening facial fur, frowned, almost certainly thinking along the same lines.

"Very well Ultra, let's get to work organizing this. The Cruiser should be just about finished preparing to be underway."

As he said that, the human ship's deck mounted holo-table made an alien sound. Both leaders turned to the sound.

The Shipmaster went and tapped one of those itty-bitty buttons on the side of the table and activated the holographic display.

The human's ship appeared then the ground it lay on, and then a somewhat detailed three dimensional holographic map of the surrounding area, and finally the Sangheili Cruiser. Human squiggles accompanied each of the ships.

A rotating box appeared next to the Cruiser. The voice of Cruisers Shipmaster filtered through the humans audio speakers.

"_Human ship Spirit of Fire, this is the Cruiser Majestic Menace, do you read?"_

"Affirmative Shipmaster, we read you. What's the word?" The human Shipmaster said, as if the two Shipmasters were equals.

"_Hangar crews reports, all personnel and injured secured and we are ready to proceed."_

"Very well Shipmaster. We'll remain here, try and secure the area between the two ships. Make a safe zone for you to land when you return. Good luck Shipmaster." Cutter finished.

"_We will return in 14 standard days, Gods willing, and deliver you to safety. All of you. Majestic Menace Out."_

"See you in 14 days. Spirit of Fire out. "And with that, the Human Shipmaster deactivated the holographic table.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**Unknown Place, Unknown date, Unknown POV.**

The creature watched in its Mind's Eye, as the Sangheilian Special Operations CCS class battle cruiser entered the Sangheilian method of FTL.

It was 6 local days to the nearest outpost world. It would be gone long enough.

Now that it was gone, he could carry out his long standing order.

Pave the way for the rest of the Precursor Conquest fleet.

**Please Read and Review.**


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